Which dogs burrow

Our friends at Dogo are like the Jedi Masters of dog training. Dogs also burrow as a way to recharge after a day of stressors you know, how you like to bury under the covers after a bad day at work. In addition, being under the covers places a barrier between the pup and any loud noises, such as fireworks or rainstorms.

Like a Thundershirt or similar swaddling vest, bedcovers can provide anxiety-reducing pressure to the body of the nervous animal — think of it as their snuggie. For the most part, yes. Healthy adult dogs will thermoregulate — that is, remove themselves from beneath the blankets — when they become too hot. In addition, older canines and those with respiratory issues including flat-faced dogs like Pugs can have a difficult time breaking free from especially big or heavy blankets.

Same goes for a blanket with pockets or openings in which pups could become trapped duvet covers, for instance. Of course, heated blankets and heating pads — with their electrical cords and quick-warming properties — may also lead to a dangerously sweltering sleep environment and even thermal burns.

Small-prey hunters, like terriers and Dachshunds, tend to mimic their innate behavior of flushing out small animals from tunnels by burrowing. Larger burrowers, like Huskies, live in extreme temperatures that make the instinct to burrow under the snow crucial for staying warm. Digging behavior in dogs can have many motivations. Some breeds, such as the Northern breeds Huskies, Malamutes dig cooling holes and lie in them.

On a very hot summer day any dog may dig a hole to cool off. Breeds such as the terriers have been bred to flush out prey or dig for rodents. Depending on the breed of dog, some breeds will burrow more than others, but all dogs will burrow to some degree. If your dog loves to bury himself under your covers in your bed, creating a warm spot for himself, it is for security. At the top of the list of smells that repel dogs is the smell of citrus.

Common "burrito style" dogs who love to snuggle and burrow their way through blankets include many small terriers and dachshunds. While dachshunds are not categorized under the terrier group, they share a history as earth dogs, hunting badgers above and below ground. Even their long, sturdy tail had a purpose: to allow a "handle" for the hunter to retrieve his burrowed dogs.

While many dogs mainly burrow to catch burrowing animals, some actually do share some similarities with the moles, gophers and groundhogs.

A Siberian Husky may instinctively craft her own burrow by digging under the snow. Reminiscent of her past history as a working dog used in bitterly cold temperatures, she may have learned to burrow under the snow for the purpose of keeping herself warm and toasty while hiding from potential predators. Dogs don't need to belong to a specific breed or group to enjoy burrowing. Your average Scruffy may enjoy burrowing in blankets or small holes just because it reminds him of his past when his wild ancestors used to live in dens.